One Step Closer
"One Step Closer" is the second track and first single from Hybrid Theory. It has also appeared in its live rendition on Live in Texas, Underground 4.0 Underground 7.0 and Road to Revolution. The song was also remixed on Reanimation as 1stp Klosr by The Humble Brothers and John Davis and appeared on the Mashup album Collision Course, mashed up with Jay-Z's "99 Problems" and "Points of Authority", there is also a "8-Bit" version of the song featured in 8-Bit Revolution. Lyrics History "One Step Closer" was originally known as Plaster during recording. A supposed demo of the track found its way onto the internet in 2008. Live Performances Until 2007, Linkin Park has closed every concert to date with "One Step Closer", excluding Live 8, and their live performances at Summer Sonic. In 2007, Linkin Park played "One Step Closer" toward the beginning of their live performances and sometimes at the end. The song is always played in Drop D a half-step down. In 2008 they ended some of their shows with either "One Step Closer" or "Bleed It Out". In 2009, every show they played was ended with "One Step Closer", excluding the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Premiere. During the 2001 MTV VMA performance of the song, the band had The X-Ecutioners do an extended break before the bridge. This part was somewhat similar to the atmosphere on the remix, with synth parts and faint vocal parts being scratched. From 2003 to 2007, performances of the song include a verse originally sung by Jonathan Davis in the Reanimation remix of the song before the "Shut up when I'm talking to you!" bridge. At the end of the verse, Bennington then repeats the line "Blood is pouring" while the song builds up to the bridge. On occasion, Shinoda sings "Blood is pouring" under Bennington's screaming during this part, as is done by Jonathan Davis on the remix. This is half-done on the performance at 2004's Rock am Ring (in that Shinoda only sings the part during the second half of the bridge) and fully done during a performance during 2003's Projekt Revolution tour, which was recorded and included on the "Faint" single and is available as a bonus track for Reanimation when purchased on iTunes. On the single cover, it is called '"One Step Closer" (Reanimated Live)'. It can also be heard on the Live from Nottingham Rock City 2003 Live from Nottingham record. During the 2006 live performances in Japan, the Reanimation bridge was played with the main riff of the song. A live version of the song was included as a b-side to "Faint". During the band's 2007 tour, "One Step Closer" became the opening song of Linkin Park's performances, and the Reanimation verse was removed. It also featured a new, extended intro featuring Mike Shinoda on rhythm guitar. In 2008, it had a new extended outro, and sometimes it was performed as the last song. For the 2010 A Thousand Suns World Tour, the song was used as the final song of the main Europe/North America set, with an extended outro featuring a guitar solo by Mike Shinoda while Brad Delson plays an extended rhythm section during the solo. In the main Australia setlist, as well as many random sets, the song was the final song of the concerts. Music Video Joe Hahn of Linkin Park came up with the concept for the video. The original version of the video was supposedly meant to be live footage of the band with fans (similar to their music video for "Faint"). The actual video was directed by Gregory Dark and shot in Los Angeles, sixy-three feet underground in an abandoned LA Subway tunnel, that is adjacent to an abandoned V.A. hospital. The video starts out with a group of teenage friends hanging out around a dark alley. Two of them (the male is played by local LA artist Tony Acosta who goes by the moniker "TonyMech") follow a strange man wearing a black hooded robe into a door which leads them to a dark, misty room where the band is playing. Monk-like men are performing martial arts moves throughout the video. Midway through the song, they knock over a crate, drawing the attention of the monk-like men, causing them to flee the tunnel. Eventually the strange man appears at the end of the video. While Bennington screams the songs bridge, he is also upside-down as if gravity is inverted for him. "One Step Closer" is the only Linkin Park music video to be filmed with Standard Definition cameras, which can be seen in 480p and is available in the US exclusively on the Warner Bros. Records Youtube Channel. Category:Songs Category:Hybrid Theory Category:Singles Category:Demos Category:Live in Texas Category:Underground Category:Road to Revolution Category:8-Bit Revolution